


Plus One Cowboy Hat

by SillyBlue



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Castiel and Dean Winchester Need to Use Their Words, Castiel has no fashion sense, Cowboy Hats, Established Relationship, Implied Bottom Castiel, Implied Sexual Content, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-29
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2020-05-30 17:06:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19407634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SillyBlue/pseuds/SillyBlue
Summary: It started with a cowboy hat. "It" being Dean's quest to get Cas to expand his wardrobe. But Castiel proves to be surprisingly resistant to all of his attempts. Now the question is; whose stubbornness will prevail?





	Plus One Cowboy Hat

**Author's Note:**

> I asked for prompts on tumblr to combat my writer's block. Wacheypena suggested Dean trying to expand Castiel's wardrobe and here we are.
> 
> Note on the setting: it's set in an alternative late S13 or early S14 in which they have defeated Michael and Lucifer in the Apocalypse world. The Winchester extended family is all intact. Jack's powers are diminished, just enough to make him slightly more human. Those things aren't even all that relevant to the little fluffy plot of this fic, but I wanted to give you a frame anyway!

It had started, conspicuously, with a cowboy hat. Not just a cheap one from a motel's gift shop that was both ugly and unflattering (not that Dean thought so, but it wasn't quite like Dean was to be trusted with an accurate opinion when it got to this kind of thing). It seemed to be of a fairly high quality and undoubtedly respectable price tag. Castiel wasn't particularly adept at judging the monetary value of items of clothing. He knew more now, after he had experienced how long it had taken him to scrap together enough money to buy himself a pair of jeans, or sneakers fit for standing all day. Never mind a proper suit and tie after he had lost his. Those things were undoubtedly easier now that he had his powers back. And his old clothing after the Empty had spat him back out into the world of the living.

Castiel hadn't thought much of the hat. Dean had been grinning widely when he had not so subtly steered Cas towards his room after he had been out on a hunt with Jack for the weekend. He had been particularly proud of himself when Cas spotted the hat on the bed. Cas had, in this instance definitely correctly, understood the intended correlation between the hat and the bed. Dean's steadily increasing grin and the wink had been affirmation enough.

"We need to expand your horizon," Dean had assured him, before plucking the hat out of Cas' hands and putting it on Cas' head instead. Cas had obliged, the way he usually obliged to Dean's request to "spice up their sex life" (not that riding Dean had been a novelty for him) and then he had forgotten all about the hat.

It had been, after all conspicuous. Too conspicuous and linked to sex to hint towards what Dean actually wanted from him.

* * *

The hat had wandered into Castiel's dresser. He had the dresser, like pretty much everything in his room, mostly for show. Or not even that, since it wasn't like he was pretending to anyone that he needed the room or the items within. He has simply never felt the urge to change anything about the room as nothing was actually in use beside the table and chair, when he didn't feel like reading in the library. And he had no particular thoughts on the quality or comfort of the chair either. He had received this room as a kind-hearted gesture from the Winchesters around the time Jack joined them, to let him know that he had a home with them, just like Jack. It wasn't like Castiel actually understood back then that this was what Dean and Sam meant with the room. At the time, Castiel had merely informed them of the fact that as an angel he needed neither sleep nor privacy. He could, after all, have sex with Dean in Dean's room (a comment neither Dean nor Sam appreciated). He had used the room after the Winchesters insisted on its importance, mostly by sitting in it while he waited for the Winchesters to be up and about.

"Dude, would it hurt you to decorate? At least pretend like you live here," Dean told Cas, not too long after the hat had wandered into the otherwise empty dresser. He had a bag in his hand, one that he held with intent at first, but it got lowered in increments as Dean inspected the room. Cas couldn't shake the feeling that Dean was somewhat disappointed, but he had no idea why. "You took Jack to buy stuff to put up in his room!"

"Yes?" Castiel offered, unsure what Dean meant to tell him.

"So you know that decorating your room is what you do when you have a room," Dean told him, slowly, like he was trying to get across a simple concept to a child. Which was how he usually talked to Jack and how he often talked to Cas. Cas knew not to be offended by it.

"The magazines implied as such and I assumed it important for the development of Jack as a human," Cas answered and Dean simply gave a small shake of his head and widened his eyes as if he meant to say "see?". Castiel sighed and closed the book he had been reading.

"I'm _not_ human, Dean."

"Wouldn't hurt to make an effort," was all Dean said to that, then he left the room again, taking the bag with him. Castiel wasn't exactly puzzled by what had transpired. He did understand what Dean was trying to say without wanting to make the effort to actually say it. But he was, if he allowed himself to admit it, slightly irritated that Dean expected Cas to remember to adapt his behavior to consider human needs and interests simply for his family's benefit. Only for Dean to get prissy when Cas didn't pick up on it quickly enough. It was irritating. It wasn't like he expected Dean to become more angelic after all. Not that he could or Cas wanted him to. (Most of the time. Cas had tried fantasizing before when Dean's idea of spicing up their sex life had included coming up with little scenarios for role play. It hadn't been all bad.)

In the end, Dean was his boyfriend and he had known that his skills to adapt would be required a long time before he leant into their first kiss.

"You're a sap," Dean managed to say, when Dean was in Cas' room the next time. Nothing much had changed, but there now were several pictures on the desk of Sam, Jack and Mary. And of course, in an antique frame and next to his bed was one of Dean. A beautiful picture of him, with a full, genuine smile.

"It's a gesture. I don't sleep, but if I did – and assuming I wouldn't do it by your side – I would want your smile to start and end a day." Cas felt the need to explain it.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it," Dean said, waving his hands in an exaggerated gesture, as if he wanted to chase away Castiel's words, but he still wrapped his arms around Cas and kissed his cheeks.

"Come on, let's go to bed, so you can look at the real deal," he eventually said and pulled Cas along.

* * *

The dresser however continued to only house the hat.

* * *

It had started with a cowboy hat, but actually, Cas only noticed that something had started at all, when a white bag was waiting for him on the middle of his unused bed. He had just left Dean's side after he had fallen asleep following their love making. Cas hadn't been home in a while, Jack's itching for hunting taking them further away from the bunker.

("Should enroll the kid into college. Give him something else to do than steal you away," Dean had grumbled once they had been reunited after the three-week hunting excursion.)

Since it was in his room, it obviously was meant for him, so he examined it. It held clothing. A simple shirt and a pair of jeans. He was instinctively reminded of the hat, but upon closer inspection he was certain that this was simply regular clothing. Of the kind he had worn when he was human, though maybe slightly more expensive. Castiel wasn't sure what to do with it. Eventually he took them to the dresser, opening it for the first time since he had deposited the hat inside. He put them into the same drawer and closed it. Well, now the dresser at least had some further content.

-

It continued like this, with clothes showing up in bags and with Cas putting them away. He was sure that Dean wanted him to wear them, but he never actually said anything about it when Cas didn't. Unless Cas undressed for Dean, there was no reason for him to ever change out of his clothes. In fact, he distinctly disliked the idea of doing it. There was nothing wrong with the clothing he had received. If he were human, yes, he could see the merit in changing out of it into something more casual and comfortable. But the fact was that Cas wasn't human. Cas didn't feel discomfort. Quite the opposite in fact. He had always felt uneasy, vulnerable, one could even say "not himself" when he wasn't wearing the clothing Jimmy Novak had dressed himself in for possession. But there was no way to make Dean understand the peculiarities of angels. With neither human comfort nor vanity to deal with, Cas simply had no reason to make use of the growing selection of clothing.

He knew that they couldn't be playing this stubborn game forever, eventually one of them had to address it. But it might as well not be him.

* * *

"Cas, you've got to expand your horizon," Dean said, tugging at the lapel of Cas' trench coat. They were alone in the bunker, which was a rather rare occurrence nowadays. Cas had heard that particular sentence many times before.

"Are you referring to our sex life? Because I told you Dean, what you suggested is highly inappropriate, even for us," Castiel said. Dean rolled his eyes.

"No, Cas. I meant _this_ ," he said, pulling at the trench coat until Castiel shrugged it off his shoulder, still not sure that this conversation wouldn't lead to sex which involved getting undressed most of the time.

"I'm not following."

"Your outfit, dude. You've been wearing the same damn thing for years." Ah, now this. Cas breathed in deeply to steel himself for the conversation, though he did feel a level of smugness about not being the one to throw in the towel and finally bring it up.

"And?"

"And? And it's weird, Cas. I mean, it's _your_ brand of weird, but in case you haven't noticed you do now have a dresser full of clothing," Dean argued. Cas was almost tempted to pick his coat back up and put it on again.

"I don't need to change."

"I know you don't, but it would be nice to see you in something else for a change," Dean said, with a far less confrontational tone of voice than Cas would have expected. Dean put his hands on Cas' hips. "You know, tight jeans, a form fitting shirt. For when we go on a date." Cas narrowed his eyes.

"We never go on dates," he reminded Dean, which earned him an eye roll.

"We go on plenty of dates! Just yesterday, we were in that diner together!"

"You and me. And Sam and Jack and Mary," Castiel said flatly. "Forgive me if I misunderstand human conventions, but I'm fairly certain that doesn't qualify as a date." Dean straightened up, his expression pinched. Cas had always thought of himself as an expert in reading Dean's expressions correctly (aided by the fact that angels could read these things as clearly as writing on paper, if they only bothered to look). But over the years it hadn't been a fully accurate or even useful skill to have. At least now he knew that Dean wasn't actually offended, but mostly surprised, with a pinch of hurt and a pinch of shame. What angels couldn't really do well was put those cues together to understand the complex feelings humans concocted up. But neither did humans, especially not Dean who never wanted to talk about what was brewing inside him. In any way, Cas did what he usually did in situations like this; wait. Dean seemed to go through some false starts, as he seemed to look for the right reaction.

"Come on, Cas. We're already beyond that," he said roughly, rising his shoulders just slightly. Defensive.

"I am merely pointing out a flaw in your argument. If we don't go on "proper dates", then there is no point in me dressing up for the occasion. We end up in diners together mostly on the way to or back from cases, where my clothing is appropriate."

"Buddy, appropriate isn't exactly the word I'd use," Dean grouched, not having anything to offer to Cas' statement. Cas fixed him with an irate look which had Dean lifting his hands with a roll of his eyes.

"Fine, you're right. So we're not going on dates in the traditional sense," Dean admitted after a while.

"Or any sense at all," Castiel added. Dean merely raised his voice as he continued:

"But that doesn't change the fact that I think you should switch it up from time to time." Not getting any further interruptions from Castiel's side, Dean went on in his normal tone. "You've been here on earth for so long, don't you get tired of wearing the same thing all the time?"

"You're not exactly creative with your wardrobe either, Dean," Castiel told him. Dean crossed his arms over his chest, looking defensive again. "I don't get tired of wearing this. It's… comfort to me, Dean. It's part of what I…" Castiel sighed and Dean's defensive stance eased up at once, a flicker of concern crossing his features. "When I possessed this body, the clothing was as much part of it as the hands, the hair, the eyes. As a habit, we don’t change anything about our vessel."

"But it's no longer just your vessel, Cas. It's you."

"It's just a fraction of me," Castiel reminded him, but gently.

"It's the fraction of you that I can know," Dean answered, his voice low and comforting now. He reached out and put his hand on Castiel's shoulder, but then slowly slipped it down to caress his arm. "And you make a substantial effort to help Jack fit in among other people." When Cas opened his mouth, Dean gave his arm a bit of a squeeze. "Don't start. I've seen the contents of his wardrobe. And I've seen you browse the internet to find out what people his age wear to fit in." Castiel gave a minute nod, because yes of course he did that. He wanted Jack to not feel divided from humans any more than he already did. "But why don't you do this for yourself?"

"Because I don't have to fit in, Dean," Castiel told him. "I had to, when I was human. It's not that I don't know how to do it if I must, but it's not something I need to do…"

"It's not that I say you need to do it, just that you… you know… could," Dean argued softly, "put on a T-shirt when it's hot, some shorts maybe. I'm sure that'd look…" Dean stopped himself to allow for a little amused snicker. "Well. I know it'd be great." Castiel couldn’t stop the fond smile and he rolled his eyes at Dean.

"Dean… I hardly leave the Bunker… And I don't think Sam needs to see me in some of the shorts you bought." Dean merely grinned innocently. "They only cover part of my ass, Dean." This only widened Dean's grin, so Castiel had to be stern: "I will not be wearing them when in company."

"Cas, all the fashionable men wore it back in the 80s. Don't be such a prude."

"I am neither a prude nor am I man, so I don't know what you're trying to say. Did _you_ wear it back in the 80s?" Castiel challenged.

"May I remind you that I was a child in the 80s?" Dean asked with a laugh.

"Oh, right," Castiel answered. But the shorts weren't actually what they were discussing. He was sure that Dean had just been increasingly provocative with the clothing he bought him, in an attempt to get a reaction out of Cas. Cas reminded himself with some smugness, that he had still won that particular game.

"Alright," Dean said, reaching out with both arms to put his hands on Castiel's upper arms. It was such a comforting gesture to Cas by now, that he leant a bit forward instinctively, a clear invitation that Dean took. He pulled him close into a hug and kissed the side of his face. "I would like it if you wore something else from time to time, just to make you feel more… I don't know. Part of it all."

"More human, you mean," Castiel added, resting his head on Dean's shoulder. How wonderful it was to be wrapped up in Dean's arms, how lovely he smelled.

"No… I mean… sort of? That's a good thing, Cas." Cas disagreed on that in reference to his own being, but it wasn't an argument he wanted to have with Dean, not now, preferably not ever. "You having your room, putting stuff in it. I know that the way we live isn't exactly normal… Which is why all things sort of normal are… a novelty. They're good." Dean pulled back a little and Cas repressed making a sound of protest. But it was just so that he could look at Cas properly. "But if you don't feel comfortable, then I'll shut up about it. It's just clothing anyway." He paused slightly, studying Cas, then he amended: "it is to _me_." Castiel smiled and leaned in to kiss Dean softly.

"Thank you, Dean." Dean kissed back, but then he drew back and grinned at Cas.

"But hey, I'm still gonna ask you to bring out the cowboy hat. You won't get out of that," he insisted. Castiel heaved a sigh, exaggerating his exasperation with Dean.

"Fine," he said and Dean grinned.

"Well, then. We have the place to ourselves. How about you take a ride, cowboy?"

"Dean, you're just…" Cas didn't finish his sentence, merely closing his eyes and shaking his head. "Ugh, fine." Dean slapped Cas' ass in victory.

"I'm gonna go grab your hat!"

* * *

It had started with a cowboy hat. And thinking back to it and the connotations it had, Castiel at least discovered one particular thing: that he could communicate a certain desire by changing his clothing and that Dean, being well versed in human sartorial communication, would understand the intention. It wasn't like he couldn't ask Dean to do something with him, in fact, it would probably be better for them to get into the habit of actually talking about it. They would get there, eventually.

Now, Cas was standing in the doorway to Dean's room. Dean was relaxing on his bed, headphones on, book in hand. He looked up and sat up quickly once he noticed that Cas had changed. Nothing fancy, just a pair of dark jeans and a pale lilac shirt with buttons. He had combed his hair as well. Dean didn't immediately react apart from studying Cas appreciatingly, but eventually he got up.

"What were you thinking? Burgers and milkshake at the diner?"

"A restaurant, I think. It seems appropriate for a proper date to set it apart from our usual "dates"," Castiel answered and Dean smiled at him.

"Sure thing, babe," Dean said and then quickly got dressed.

Castiel felt no small amount of satisfaction of a clothing job done right, when Sam saw them in the library.

"Oh? Are you going out on a date?" he asked. "Nice jeans, Cas."

"Thank you, Sam and yes, we are," he said. "Are you alright with looking after Jack this evening?"

"Sure, have fun guys!" Sam answered with a beaming grin.

"Good job," Dean told him later with a pleased smile. "I knew you got it. Also, clever way of asking me out on a date." Castiel, who didn't need to drink or eat, but at least knew how to appreciate it as an activity he loved sharing with Dean, raised his wine glass to Dean.

"It wasn't like you were ever going to ask me out on a date. I had to take it into my own hands," Castiel said and Dean had to laugh. It was honest, but there was a slight tremor of anxiety underneath it. This wasn't something Dean was comfortable with. It wasn't exactly clear to Cas what about it made Dean nervous enough that his hand was slightly damp when Cas took it. Maybe it was simply it being romantic in a way that Dean liked but didn't like to admit he liked. Or maybe it was a more complex issue of Cas inhabiting a body that everyone else instantly assumed to be male, which would therefore expose Dean's sexuality. And Dean never liked having certain things about himself exposed so plainly. But even if it was that, Dean didn't let it spoil the date for him.

"Come on now, eventually I would have asked," he admitted.

"I was tired of waiting."

"Well, I'm glad you took the initiative," Dean assured him and gave his hand a squeeze. "And I really like how you look tonight. I can't wait to get you out of your clothes."

"So peculiar that if you like something I wear you can't wait to get me to remove it," Castiel teased but Dean only answered with a grin. What was one other human peculiarity to add to the pile.

* * *

It ended, at least temporarily, with a suit.

While they went on plenty of cases where suits were required and had, on one memorable occasion also gone on a date that involved suits and an expensive food bill, Dean actually never complained about the suit that came with what he called Cas' "factory settings". Dean had hung up exactly one different suit in Cas' room. It hung in a clothing bag on the back of Cas' door. There was a post it on it that Cas had contemplated for many weeks and Dean had never asked after it. He let Cas figure it out in his own time, like he had with the other items of clothing.

Eventually, Cas decided to put it on. It didn't come with a hat, but it did come with shoes and a slim manila folder containing documents. He caught Dean just as he was heading to the kitchen for an early breakfast of coffee. He was in his sleep wear, his hair all over the place after having only gotten 3 hours in after the last case. He almost walked into the door frame when he noticed Cas.

"Oh, sh… Just give me a moment," he stammered, but the shocked look soon made way for a beaming grin. "Aw, hell," Dean said with a breathless laugh and quickly approached for a kiss. "Twenty minutes, okay? And then we're on our way."

So Cas decided to sit in the library, currently not occupied by anyone other than Sam's laptop, the notes of their most recent case still scattered over the table. Maybe it would be right to wake the other people in the bunker. But somehow Cas didn't feel like it. His job was to get dressed, Dean did the rest.

It was surprising how quickly and spontaneously the Winchesters could put something like this together. Because after the promised twenty minutes they were on the way into the town, all bundled into two cars, dressed in the best things their hunter's wardrobe had to offer, Jack still sleepy but waking up with the growing excitement. Not much was happening this early in the morning in the small, stuffy office of the court house. Somehow Mary had produced a small bouquet of flowers that were apparently for Cas to hold on to. The Winchesters had done all necessary preparation, organizing, charming and hacking. It didn't take long for Dean and Cas to be the proud owners of a wedding license and, in a surprising turn of events Rowena and Gabriel showed up at the tiny, empty church where they would exchange rings and get it officiated by a sleepy looking minister.

"I can do it, I'm an archangel after all. Give it a bit more weight and a lot more…" Gabriel waved his hands in clear disapproval of the little bland church. "Class." Cas didn't care either way, but Dean wanted to do it the proper way, apparently for bragging rights to the local people concerning his devastatingly handsome husband. Gabriel had relented, with the one condition that he would be the one to announce the inevitable offspring they would produce. Since he was certain that that was not going to happen, Dean at least agreed to that, leaving Gabriel smiling to himself in glee, a fact that Cas decided to ignore and that Dean had luckily missed.

They didn't have vows to share, since they would say everything that needed to be said in privacy (eventually). But they did have rings and Cas had a bouquet and Dean the obviously mandatory tears.

In their wedding picture, that would come to sit right next to the framed picture of Dean smiling, both him and Dean were wearing matching, dark blue suits. And they smiled.

"Told you you should expand your horizons," Dean said with a grin that Castiel chose to ignore, once their small family had all exchanged hugs and congratulations. "You look good in this suit, Mr. Winchester."

"As do you, other Mr. Winchester."

"Just for the record, _you're_ the other Mr. Winchester. I'm the original," Dean told him, kissing Cas' hair playfully.

"Whatever you say. I'm just glad you didn't make me wear a stupid hat," Castiel answered.

"Just you wait. I booked us a nice little venue for our honeymoon. You won't guess the theme," Dean said with a wide, conspiratorial grin. Cas groaned.

(It was cowboy themed of course. The cowboy hat sat in its box, joining them on their first outing as a married couple.)

**Author's Note:**

> I hoped you liked it! I would love to hear what you think! :D


End file.
